Banner trouble: Bayern fans turn to Qatar

A fan association of FC Bayern Bavaria sends an open letter to the embassy of Qatar. Background is a forbidden banner in the game against Paris.

The Bayern-Fanvereinigung “Club Nr. 12” has sent an open letter to the embassy of Qatar.

In the letter to the Qatar embassy, the fans’ association asks for the release of a banner for the DFB Cup match against Borussia Dortmund (Wed., from 8.30 p. m. in the LIVETICKER).

On this one should be read:”For freedom of expression. In the south bend, in Nyon, in Doha, everywhere.”

Background: According to the letter, FC Bayern had initially allowed a banner of the fans before the Champions League home game against Paris Saint-Germain, on which the inscription was to say:”For how much millions? can you buy your way out of financial fair play?”

But when the Bayern had informed UEFA of the banner as planned shortly before the match, the club suddenly rowed back and refused to enter the Allianz Arena with the banner.

Bayern fans claim that there are rumours that UEFA has forwarded the content of the banner to PSG. The club and its Qatari owners are said to have been unhappy with this banner and passed the information on to the Qatari embassy.

The letter from the fan association states:”It is rumoured to have contacted the club management of FC Bayern Bayern and allegedly threatened that the presentation of the banner by the Bayern fans could lead to a noticeable deterioration of the relations between Qatar and FC Bayern”.

Hamad International Airport in Doha, the capital of Qatar, has been a platinum partner of Munich since 2016. Since the beginning of the season, the sponsor has also been on the sleeves of the players’ jerseys, which should bring FCB millions more.

In addition, Bavaria have already been to the training camp in Qatar seven times.

“Club Nr. 12” felt restricted in the freedom of speech by the sudden ban and is planning a new banner for the cup match against Dortmund.

For this reason, the fans’ association has now sent an open letter to the embassy of Qatar. It asks whether the state has a problem with the planned banner.

In the wording: “If the above-mentioned rumours are true and the Qatari state has a decisive influence on the approval of banners at FC Bayern, we would like to shorten the decision-making process. I am sure you will understand that it is unreasonable for our members to spend many more hours of their free time creating a large banner that cannot be used at all.”

If the embassy “believes that the planned banner stands in the way of good relations between the state of Qatar and FC Bayern”, it should announce itself by the end of the week – otherwise the fan association announces that it will start with the production of the banner.